Automotive deceleration device



Dec. 30, 1969 J. M. WHITE 3,486,491

AUTOMOTIVE DECELERATION DEVICE Filed June 20, 1968 INVENTOR JACK M. WHITE ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,486,491 AUTOMOTIVE DECELERATION DEVICE Jack M. White, Florissaut, M0., assignor to ACE Industries, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 20, 1968, Ser. No. 738,707 Int. Cl. FM 04; F02d 31/00 US. Cl. 123-117 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In recent years much attention has been focused on the reduction of the emission of noxious gases from the exhaust system of the automobile. Much work has been done and a number of useful devices have evolved from this work. Unfortunately, the automobile is required to perform satisfactorily under a number of modes of operation. The automobile engine is-operated under idling conditions, steady state cruising, acceleration and deceleration. A device that is useful in reducing hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions for one of these cycles may not be very helpful in another cycle.

It is under deceleration conditions that the highest peak meter readings of the undesirable gases have been found. Fortunately deceleration represents only a small part of the total operating time of the automobile so that these peak readings when averaged into the other operating measurements have been kept within acceptable limits. Nevertheless, it is desirable and necessary to reduce the emissions on deceleration.

Here again various approaches have been used. One possibility is to delay the closing of the throttle somewhat during the deceleration cycle. This allows a slightly increased quantity of air to enter the intake manifold and this has been helpful in reducing the magnitude of the peaks. Instead of a delayed closing of the throttle, it is possible to substitute a device that will allow the throttle to close to the curb idle position at which time the increased manifold vacuum will operate a vacuum motor to push the throttle open to a slight degree. The benefit is somewhat the same with either device.

With many automotive engines the ignition timing at curb idle is controlled in such a manner that the spark occurs at or about top dead center. It is only after the throttle valve is opened that the vacuum from the manifold is applied to the distributor to advance the spark. Here again it has been found that during deceleration it is sometimes desirable to advance the spark.

These two somewhat unrelated control functions have normally been accomplished through the use of two separate devices. I have found that both functions can be performed satisfactorily with the deceleration device to be described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The deceleration control device comprises a body having cavities for a small diaphragm valve actuator, a larger diaphragm throttle position actuator and a poppet valve.

Manifold vacuum is applied to a connection which communicates with the small diaphragm cavity. Upon the application of vacuum to this cavity a push rod connected to the diaphragm moves upwardly against the poppet valve. The poppet valve is preloaded by a spring so that it cannot move off its seat until a predetermined vacuum has been exceeded. Once the poppet valve moves off its seat the manifold vacuum is then directed by way of a passageway to the large diaphragm cavity and the manifold vacuum pulls the large diaphragm to one side thus moving a push rod against a mating surface on the throttle lever arm of the carburetor to open the throttle somewhat. The manifold vacuum applied to the large diaphragm cavity is also applied to a connection which communicates with the vacuum advance motor of the distributor.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is an elevation view of a carburetor with the deceleration control device installed thereon.

FIGURE 2 is a detailed sectional view of the deceleration device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The deceleration control device is shown generally at 10 in FIG. 1 and in cross-sectional detail in FIG. 2. The device is secured to carburetor 12 by way of mounting bracket 14 and post 1 6. The carburetor is provided with a throttle lever 18 and a throttle 19 in customary manner. Lever 18 has a turned over portion 20 which provides a fiat surface against which the head or adjusting nut 22 of push rod 24 can operate.

Carburetor 12 is mounted on intake manifold 25 which manifold is provided with a vacuum conduit 26. Conduit 26 communicates by a hose 28 with fitting 29 which constitutes a vacuum inlet to the device 10.

Carburetor 12 is provided with a spark port 30 located above the edge of throttle plate 19 when the plate is in its normal curb idle position. As the plate rotates to a more open position the spark port is exposed to manifold vacuum. This vacuum by way of fitting 31 and hose 32-33 applies vacuum to a distributor advance motor 35 for advancing the spark of distributor 36 during part throttle operation of the engine. During normal curb idle operation no vacuum is applied to the vacuum advance motor 35 because spark port 30 is exposed to atmospheric pressure.

During deceleration conditions device 10 is arranged such that it will move push rod 24 and adjust nut 22 to the left as shown in FIG. 1 thereby opening the throttle a predetermined amount while simultaneously applying vacuum to branch passage 32 for communication by way of conduit 33 to distributor advance motor 35 to thereby advance the spark of distributor 36.

Device 10 comprises a body 40 having a large diaphragm cavity 42 and a small cavity 44. Placed across the cavity 42 is a diaphragm 45 which is secured to push rod stem 24 by diaphragm plates 46-47 and a head 48 formed on the end of rod 24. The diaphragm 45 is secured to body 40 by way of closure member 49. Member 49 is provided with apertures 50 for communication with the atmospheric. Mounting post 16 is secured to member 49 by way of an enlarged head 51. A recess 54 in cavity 42 receives a biasing spring 56. A fitting 58 communicates at one end with the recess 54 and at the other end with hose 34.

A diaphragm 60 is positioned across the open face of cavity 44 and is secured to the body by a cap 62. Fitting 29 is in communication with the recess 44. Cap 62 is provided with aperture 63 for communication with the atmosphere. Backing plates 65-66 are secured to the 3 diaphragm 60 by way of push rod 70. Backing plate 66 is provided with an upturned edge 68 which limits the movement of the diaphragm.

In cavity 44 there is a boss 72 having a central bore 74 and port 76 which communicates the bore with cavity 44. Loosely fitted in bore 74 is a poppet valve 80 which by way of a conical head is adapted to close off port 76. A biasing spring 82 normally holds the poppet valve 80 in a port closing position. The bias of spring 82 is con trolled and adjusted by the nut 84. Bore 74 communicates by a passage 86 with cavity 42.

The operation of the deceleration device is as follows. During normal operation the vacuum applied to cavity 44 is insutficient to push the valve 80 off its seat because spring 82 has been adjusted to permit opening only upon a predetermined vacuum of approximately 20 to 22" Hg. Upon the closing of the throttle and the beginning of deceleration, intake manifold vacuum rises rapidly. As soon as the vacuum exceeds the preset amount, diaphragm 60 is moved upwardly as shown in FIG. 2 and push rod 70 moves valve 80 off-its seat. Vacuum is then communicated by way of bore 74 and passage 86 to cavity 42 and by way of recess 54 and fitting 58, hose 34 and hose 33 to distributor advance motor 35 for advancing the spark of the distributor 36. The vacuum chamber 42 also pulls diaphragm 45 to the left as shown in FIG. 2 and this in turn moves push rod 24 with its adjusting nut 22 into engagement with the surface 20 to open the throttle a predetermined amount. The amount of throttle opening can be adjusted by the nut 22. As the vehicle slows down or is returned to a normal throttle setting away from curb idle, the vaccum in manifold 25 falls below the preset amount and poppet valve 80 seals off port 76, thereby removing the vacuum from chamber 42. With this condition, the device returns to the condition of FIG. 2.

While the invention as just described constitutes a preferred embodiment it will be appreciated that modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and yet be within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A deceleration control device for advancing the throttle of a carburetor and applying vacuum to the distributor vacuum advance motor during deceleration of a motor vehicle comprising:

(A) a body having a recess disposed at one end thereof,

(B) a first diaphragm across said recess to form a vacuum chamber therein, said first diaphragm being secured to said body by a cap member,

(C) a push rod secured to said first diaphragm and extending through said recess and through said body and terminating in an adjustable head,

(D) a cross bore in said body terminating at one end in a pilot valve recess.

(E) a pilot valve diaphragm across said pilot valve recess, said diaphragm being secured to said body by securing means,

(F) said bore having a restricted area constituting a pilot valve seat,

(G) a pilot valve comprising a piston having a tapered valve head in said bore,

(H) a passage joining said bore and said vacuum chamber,

(I) a valve actuating pin secured to said pilot valve diaphragm and,

(J) a conduit for communication with a source of vacuum, said conduit terminating in said pilot valve recess whereby when vacuum is applied to said conduit, the said pilot valve diaphragm will move said pin to unseat said pilot valve thereby to apply vacuum to said first diaphragm to move said push rod and advance said throttle.

2. The device of claim 1 further including a cavity extending into said body from said recess for receiving a biasing spring for biasing said first diaphragm away from said body.

3. The device of claim 2 further including a vacuum outlet terminating at one end in said cavity and at the other end with a distributor vacuum advance motor.

4. The device of claim 1 further including biasing means in said bore for urging said pilot valve towards its seat and adjustment means in said said bore for adjusting said biasing means and for sealing the other end of said bore.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,506,511 5/1950 Mallory 12397 2,988,074 6/1961 Lobdell et 211. 3,252,450 5/1966 Dietrich et a1. 3,289,659 12/1966 Koole.

WENDELL E. BURNS, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

